1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refined oil degradation level measuring instrument and a refined oil degradation level measuring method that can measure a degradation level of refined oil represented by lubricant oil or insulating oil for an internal combustion engine or the like when mounted in a ship or a car, food oil, or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Refined oil refers to base oil mixed with an additive such as an antioxidant or detergent dispersant, and as the types thereof, as described above, there are lubricant oil used for the purposes of friction reduction, heat radiation, and the like, insulating oil used for a transformer, food oil, and the like. Such refined oil gradually degrades with use and time. As an index indicating a level of the degradation, a neutralization number, a total acid number, a total base number, or the like that is a state quantity of the additive has conventionally been used.
For example, the total base number is an index indicating acid neutralization performance, cleanliness, and the like of the additive, and a reduction of a value thereof indicates that consumption of the additive progresses.
For now, as a method that is intended to measure the total base number and set in a standard, there are a titration method that determines an endpoint when a volumetric solution reaches a constant pH (JIS) and a method that makes a determination on the basis of an FTIR absorbance (ASTM).